Together on the Journey: A Weekly Word from Archbishop Hebda
I’m not a betting man, but I would be willing to bet that if we would ask most Catholics to complete the biblical phrase, “Whatsoever you did for the least of my brothers…” they would respond “you did it to me.” It’s right from the 40th verse of Matthew 25.
Saint Teresa of Calcutta would call those last five words, “you did it to me,” the “five-finger Gospel.” How many times did she hold up her hand to teach that Gospel, one word on each finger? It was her way of encouraging people to give more of themselves to those in need.
Those words from Matthew 25:40 come particularly to mind as we are now just one week away from celebrating the episcopal ordination of Bishop-elect Kevin Kenney, whose many years of ministry resonate with Mother Teresa’s five-finger gospel. The very morning he was announced as our latest auxiliary bishop, he shared powerful and convicting examples of what’s known, in Catholic social teaching, as the preferential option for the poor. Working as a young layman with the Claretian Missionaries in inner-city Chicago, Bishop-elect Kenney worked closely with at‑risk youth, teaching and walking with them at a time when gang violence was an ever-present threat. Currently, Bishop-elect Kenney serves at St. Olaf in Minneapolis, where he and his staff continue to serve a diverse community and where everyday ministry includes welcoming and serving the homeless.
Pope Francis has often referred to our Church as a field hospital; I’m grateful, brothers and sisters, that so many of you and your parishes are serving in that “hospital,” often on the front line. Stocking food shelves, providing baby supplies, organizing service projects, visiting the elderly or those in prison, and praying in all situations—your stories and example remind me that we are called to be a Matthew 25 people.
If it has been some time since you have had the opportunity to serve directly in this way, I encourage you to learn more about some possibilities right here in our Archdiocese. Catholic Charities, the St. Vincent de Paul Society, Sharing and Caring Hands, your local food shelves, Catholic Prison Ministry, and our many life care centers (serving mothers and fathers in need), all present excellent service opportunities in our area—and they are just the tip of the iceberg. They give us the opportunity to see Christ’s face in those we serve and allow us to become ever more united with our Lord, the one who came to serve rather than to be served (Mark 10:45).
I look forward to seeing many of you next Monday at Bishop-elect Kenney’s ordination. It’s at 1 p.m. at the Cathedral of Saint Paul. Our Archdiocese will also be coming together in prayer to pray for him on the vigil of his ordination on Sunday evening, with Vespers at St. Olaf in Minneapolis at 7 p.m. If you are not able to participate in person, I hope that you might join us by livestream. Please keep Bishop-elect in your prayers as we approach this joyful moment for our local church.
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